Tenants of the Albany Houses are stuck cooking on hotplates after the New York City Housing Authority shut off their gas.

NYCHA says the gas was shut off last week so a leak in the building could be repaired. It also says inspectors must check every apartment in the 14-story building to make sure there is no safety hazard, which takes time and requires working around tenants? schedules.

Some residents are frustrated and angry about being left having to eat microwave dinner and canned food. NYCHA provided the residents with hotplates, but some say they are a poor substitute for a stove and take a half-hour to heat up. Some say NYCHA should give them a month?s rent for the inconvenience.

Tenants say they were told the gas could be turned on in four to six weeks.